26.10.2022.
Today, the representatives of the Fund participated in the Energy Sustainability Day in Šibenik-Knin County, an event organised by Šibenik-Knin County and Technical School Šibenik.The celebration programme started with an exhibition of artwork by the lower grade pupils from elementary schools in Šibenik-Knin County who participated in the competition “Oboji vjetar” (Colour the Wind), while the official part of the programme was opened by county mayor Marko Jelić, PhD, by presenting the Energy Efficiency Action Plan of Šibenik-Knin County until 2024. “Through 19 measures we’re planning to invest 34 million kunas in increasing energy efficiency. 15 of these measures are aimed at energy efficiency measures in buildings, and we’re planning the installation of RES systems,” announced Jelić.
RES systems were the topic of the presentation of the students at Technical and Industrial and Trade Schools, while the students from Šibenik Vocational High School explained the concept and method for building green roofs.
Why these activities were important was clarified by Nirvana Franković Mihelj, who in her presentation mentioned the Kyoto Protocol and other strategic documents that followed that were aimed at preventing climate change. “Unfortunately, climate change has become our reality, and it will definitely be your everyday life,” she said to the students, pointing out that we were the last generation with the ability to make a change. “An increase in average daily temperature has already gone above 1֯C, our seas are acidic, which affects life in them and the environment in general. Today we do not talk only about climate change prevention, but about climate change adaptation, which is especially relevant for the coastal areas. In addition, more importance is being put on greenhouse gases sinks, which exist thanks to the LULUCF areas. LULUCF includes forest land, cropland, grassland, wetlands, and other settlements. That is why urban greening is important, which is one of the programmes promoted by the Fund,” said Franković Mihelj.
Mario Mihetec presented the programmes promoting energy efficiency in buildings, which are aimed at reducing and streamlining their energy consumption and ensuring higher energy independence of citizens through the use of renewable energy sources that are locally available. “Until 2021, the Fund co-financed energy renovation for around 16,000 family houses with 800 million kunas, and we’re continuing with these programmes. There is also great interest in the call for co-financing RES systems, with the submission of applications starting in November. Almost 95 million kunas were allocated for these systems under the call, and with the Fund’s incentives and current prices of energy, the period of paying off such investments is significantly shorter,” concluded Mihetec.
The programme was closed by the representatives of the Society of Innovators “Faust Vrančić“ Šibenik, who presented their innovations related to the environment and energy efficiency, for which they received important commendations and awards.
